This Week in LANG 2/2/2026
In this Edition: “Classes Virtual Monday, Tuesday Classes’ Modality TBA, Early Alerts this Friday”
Dear colleagues,
Welcome to the fourth week of the Spring semester. Today is a remote day. Please teach classes virtually. Campus is closed, so please do not come to campus. Our Main Office will be virtual. You can reach Hanna and Jules via zoom. Today before noon we will get a Niner Notice to let us know about teaching modality and the campus opening for tomorrow.
Dates and Events this Week
Chair Office Hours Week of January 27:
T 11-1 (virtual), W 11-12:30 (f2f and virtual), R (3-5 virtual)
Wednesday, February 4
- “International AI: Ethical Decision-Making for Multinational Contexts” presentation by Dr. Sandra Watts 12:00-1:30pm, CHHS 128
- “Zohran Mamdami: An election win in context” presentation by Dr. Mahdi, 10:00-11:00, Fretwell 100,
Friday, February 6
- Early Alert Reports due Monday, January 26
Looking Ahead: Dates and Events Spring 2026
February 12
- NinerCare Liaison Training for Faculty-Led Study Abroad, 3:00-5:30, CHHS 128
February 19-20
- Heritage Language Symposium
February 26
- Poetry Slam, Cone After Hours, 6:30–8:30
February 27
- Department Meeting, Mebane 434, 2:30-4:00
March 20
- Department Meeting, Virtual (zoom: https://charlotte-edu.zoom.us/my/aaliagab)
March 26
- Faculty Forum for Associate Professors interested in learning about Promotion to Full
March 27-28
- SEACS Conference
April 24
- Department Meeting, Mebane 434, 2:30-4:00, end of year party 4:00-6:00
May 11, 12, 14 and 15
- GLI Institute
May 13
- 4th Charlotte AI Summit for Smarter Learning
Congratulations
Congratulations to Dr. Javier García León who has been awarded a Faculty Research Grant (2026-2027) with a value of $7,848 for my projects on Language Ideologies and Intersectional Representations on Colombian Social Media Platforms.
Congratulations to Dr. Sandra Watts who was invited as higher education expert on the podcast “Insight Jam Live!” (1.03M subscribers). The topic is “Durable Skills in the Age of Automation: What Humans Will Always Do Best.”
When AI can handle cognition, what’s left for humans?
Our expert panel explores the durable skills that will remain irreplaceable: curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and the uniquely human ability to navigate context and relationships. The World Economic Forum’s top skills for 2030 reveal a surprising truth: six out of ten are fundamentally human capabilities.
Information for Faculty and Staff
Need more Travel Money?
Present Your Lectures to Seniors and Earn a Speaker Fee
Our senior residential communities are getting ready to pick their CHESS Lifelong Learning speakers for 2026-2027! Fresh ideas are collected all year long for this enthusiastic audience, but please submit your topics by February 5 for consideration this year. There are 14 available evenings. This program matches CHESS speakers with two community partners, in exchange for a speaker fee payable to the dean’s discretionary fund. Your portion of $500 is transferred to your designated unit of record. It’s a great way to make the most of an existing lecture or to try out something new in a safe space. chess-events@charlotte.edu
GLI Institute
Charlotte Global invites faculty members to apply for the Global Learning and Internationalization Institute (GLII), scheduled in person on May 11, 12, 14 and 15. We will not have the Institute on Wednesday May 13, so interested faculty can attend the 4th Charlotte AI Summit for Smarter Learning. GLII is a faculty engagement and development initiative to support and align with the University’s Strategic Plan 2021-2031 Shaping What’s Next and our status of a top-tier research university. Faculty completing the GLII will receive a $1,000 stipend for professional development. More information.
Early Feedback – 2/6
Early feedback is particularly important in introductory courses, since students in those classes are more likely to be new to the University and are still adjusting to our academic expectations (see the CONNECT Faculty Best Practices). Faculty members teaching a 1000 or 2000 level course will receive an email on Tuesday, Jan. 20. providing instructions to enter alerts for students who are of concern due to:
- attendance/participation
- quality of work submitted
- other reasons (likely to result in them not succeeding in the class)
The deadline for reporting early alerts is 12 p.m. (noon) on Feb. 6.
Upcoming Events
GLII Presentation
Curious about the Global Learning and Internationalization Institute (GLII)? Come join the GLII community for food, community, and a talk by Sandra Watts titled “International AI: Ethical Decision-Making for Multinational Contexts.” Register at this Google Form.
Sandra’s presentation draws in part on the MARIT (Mindful AI & Regulation in Technology for Lifelong Learning) framework presented to a multinational audience at the 2025 NATO Training Technology Conference in Istanbul. Developed as part of an international working group led by Dr.Tonya Amankwatia, the MARIT Framework reflects the collaboration of scholars and practitioners from the US, Europe, and Africa. Attendees will see examples of specific tools and techniques to guide appropriate use of AI in teaching multicultural audiences.
Wednesday February 4, 2026 12:00-1:30pm, CHHS 128
2026 Poetry Slam
2026 Heritage Language Learning Symposium
The 2026 Heritage Language Learning Symposium will occur on Thursday, February 19, and Friday, February 20, 2026 (10:00 am – 6:00 pm US EST each day). For 2026, the symposium will feature five prominent scholars engaged in Heritage Language Education. The presenters will share their research and practical experience with UNC Charlotte faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, as well as K-12 educators and attendees from other institutions.
The Symposium will promote a broad understanding of literacy practices and training for heritage speakers by bringing together experts in bilingual education in Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.
Please visit the website to find the program, abstracts for the research presentations, and workshops, as well as the registration form.
Wishing you a good week.
All the best,
Anabel